US Congress Panel Set to Vote on Energy Bill(Democrats to Seek Changes)

[papau]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2003/11/17/us_congress_panel_set_to_vote_on_energy_bill/

US Congress Panel Set to Vote on Energy Bill
By Tom Doggett and Chris Baltimore, 11/17/2003
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional negotiators were scheduled to vote on Monday on legislation that would update U.S. energy policy and provide $20 billion in tax incentives to boost oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear production and prevent future power blackouts

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2003/11/17/democrats_to_seek_changes_in_energy_bill/

Democrats to Seek Changes in Energy Bill (before today’s vote)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Democrats said on Monday they want to amend a Republican energy bill in order to outlaw electricity market manipulation, protect consumers from higher utility rates caused by mergers, and ensure oil companies pay full royalties for drilling on federal lands. Passage of the energy bill, which includes about $23 billion in tax breaks (Democrats claim the bill's total cost could top $115 billion over the next decade - Two-thirds of the $23 billion – 14.4 billion- in tax breaks go to the oil, gas and coal industries, and only about $1.5 billion in incentives is for energy conservation and efficiency programs.) is a top priority for the Bush administration.<snip>

The legislation fails to limit utility mega-mergers and ban the kinds of wholesale electricity manipulation conducted by Enron Corp. and others that contributed to California's energy crisis, Bingaman said. He also said the bill in its current form would weaken clean air regulations.

The bill offers billions in tax breaks for oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear industries, which Democrats oppose. However, Republicans included several measures with bipartisan support, such as electric reliability standards that would prevent a repeat of the August blackout that left 50 million people in the dark.<snip>

* Doubling ethanol production blended into gasoline to 5 billion gallons (19 billion liters) by 2012;
* Easing royalty payments for oil and natural gas drilling on federal leases in the Gulf of Mexico;
* Offering federal loan guarantees to build a $20 billion pipeline to ship Alaskan natural gas to the lower 48 states;
* Granting tax breaks for new nuclear power plants;
* Extending tax credits to promote more electric generation from wind, solar and other renewable sources.
(One of the most contentious measures would shield makers of fuel additive MTBE from product liability lawsuits retroactive to Sept. 5. That date would eliminate most cases already filed, including one by New Hampshire's attorney general.)<snip>

[Kolesar]

1. Ok, I am confused

I thought that the energy bill was already voted on by a House-Senate committee last week (the "conference committee").

This article says that there is to be a vote today. What was last week's vote then?

[papau]

2. LAST week was GOP only!

we got 24 hours to see bill!

[Kolesar]

3. ...and they are still calculating the costs (of tax breaks, etc.)

So today must be the conference committee.

Talk about a bill from hell. Begun in Cheney's secret 2001 meetings, drafted by republicans, shielded from the Democrats.

[salin]

5. Not voted on - decided the "final form" by the republican members of the

conference committee. The repubs locked the Dems out of the entire process, while meeting continuously with energy industry lobbyists. They were to release the 1,000+ page bill (1700 pages, I believe) and give the democratic members 48 hours to respond (to the entire bill). Various snags kept postponing the actual 'release' of the draft from the republicans to the whole committee. And yes, this is a very unusual way for business of this magnitude to be conducted.

[Kolesar]

6. you gave me some points for my LTTE

thanks

[La_Serpiente]

4. What has Collins

Chafee, and Snowe said about it? I am sure they must be pissed at the lack of environmental protections in it.

[young_at_heart]

7. I'd like to know......where is the outrage?

Democrats were "locked out" and they only have 24 hours to study this bill! I've read it was ALL done in secrecy with energy lobbyists. Is this what our country has come to?

[0007]

8. You got it toyota!

[Mel]

9. C-Span 2 on now live

Energy and Commerce House/Senate Conference Committee meeting

[papau]

10. Every Dem amendment loses on a party line vote. --Bush is a "unite"er

sigh

:-(